Classroom Corner – Pinus Sylvestris Home and Away

An open window into the comings and goings of students and their trees attending our regular weekend and midweek bonsai classes under the ever watchful eyes of John Hanby.

Classroom Corner – Pinus Sylvestris Home and Away

Some Scot’s pines we sold from our raw material stocks some 3 to 4 years ago have recently been given our undivided attention.

The first two pictures of Steve’s tree were taken in the classroom on a Pines class. The tree had been wired and could now be given a new styling. The branches needed to be brought down closer to the trunk to create a more compact tree in keeping with it’s tall slim character.

The remaining pictures are of two of Roy’s pines. The early pictures were taken at the nursery whilst the final styling pictures were taken at Roy’s home during a recent one to one visit.

The first pine has a short stocky slanting trunk and is making a fine image in the classic Japanese style. Foliage and ramification are progressing well.

The second pine is much taller but has an impressive trunk and a substantial side branch which basically dictated the design of the tree.

A shari was added to the large side branch to create interest/character and to give an illusion of better taper.

Many people struggle with pines. It is often the last tree they get to grips with. It is hard for them to visualise how that mass of leggy branches can become something like the images from Japan they have seen in the books.

The above examples show how Steve and Roy have started with bushy raw material and in a short space of time are well on the way to creating impressive refined pine images with much shorter needles. Don’t be put off by pines, they are by far too important a bonsai species not to have in your collection…….and if you need a little help…….you know where we are!